Progressive payment for more than 120 varying surgical
procedures will be an option for patients at the beginning of next
year at a privately operated hospital in Zhengzhou, capital city of
central China's Henan Province, Zhengzhou Evening News
reported on December 19.
According to an implementation plan set forth by the Zhengzhou
Renji Injury Microsurgery Hospital, progressive payment will apply
to orthopedics, general surgery, microsurgery and surgery of the
hand, as well as more than 120 normal (non-emergency) operations,
including cholecystectomy, spine curvature diorthosis, surgeries
for lumbar fractures, femoral head fractures, metathesis, and many
more. The expense for the applicable procedures ranges from 2,000
to 60,000 yuan (US$249 to 7,436).
Under the plan, the patient will pay 50 percent of the cost upon
his or her hospitalization, and another 20 percent upon checking
out of the hospital. The balance of 30 percent would be paid within
six months from the day the patient executed a contract with the
hospital.
"Most of patients here are from rural villages or are laid-off
workers in the city. Considering the interests of these socially
vulnerable groups, we decided to change the charge mode," the
report quoted Zhang Zhong, assistant to dean of the hospital, as
saying. "We have completed an accurate computing of our cost, and
set forth the ceiling for each single operation. This means no
matter what the individual difference, there is a maximum limit for
a person's surgical expense. If exceeded, the additional cost will
be absorbed by the hospital," Zhang explained. "From January 1,
2006, the list of highest limit for each single operation will be
available for the reference and choice of patients."
Patients are required by the hospital to provide their identity
cards or substitute documents to prove their identity, a copy of
which shall be retained by the hospital. Proof of identity and
residence of their guardians may also be required. And, if needed,
a list of guarantors would be presented when checking in to the
hospital.
The hospital was officially approved by the Zhengzhou Health
Bureau on February 2, 2003, and the facility commenced operation in
its current Fenghuang Street location in September. Of the more
than 80 staff people, approximately 80 percent are transferred army
physicians. Half of the 30 beds in the hospital are occupied. "Our
hospital is not very famous, but it is fully authorized," Zhang
confirmed that the new payment policy does have some promotional
purpose.
On November 1, upon learning that corrective surgery would cost
15,000 yuan (US$1859) at a large hospital, a patient with a
fractured patella chose to have the procedure done at Zhengzhou
Renji Injury Microsurgery Hospital, where he was cured at a cost of
4,770 yuan (US$591), according to the report.
In the in-patient department, a patient surnamed Zhou told the
Zhengzhou Evening News that "the facility as well as the
service of the hospital is good, and the price is reasonable."
A source with Zhengzhou Health Bureau, who declined to give his
name, said during a telephone interview with the paper, "The
privately-run hospitals indeed sometimes have problems in business
development. The hospital's move is an active step in seeking the
change of hospital charge mode, and we will be interested in the
results."
There are several privately-run medical facilities in Zhengzhou
City. During an interview with a representative of another
hospital, a source was quoted by the paper saying "We won't follow
the move, at least not now. The competitive advantage of a
privately-run hospital is charging and service. If the patient
doesn't pay on time, there will be bad debts. That's a big taboo
for privately-run hospitals."
Renji Injury Microsurgery Hospital is not the first medical
facility in China to adopt such a policy, nor even the second one.
According to a previous media report, on February 16, 2003,
Shanghai-based Ren'ai Hospital allowed patients to pay
progressively for several surgical procedures, which costs more
than 20,000 yuan. After nearly eight months, when only three
patients applied for the progressive payment plan, that threshold
was revised to 3,000 yuan. On March 19, 2005, a privately-run
hospital in Shenyang, capital city of northeast China's Liaoning
Province, announced a progressive payment plan for fee-for-service
of acyesis. In early December, the Chongqing Family Planning
Hospital applied the fee policy to five types of surgery, with a
threshold of 3,000 yuan. Renji Injury Microsurgery Hospital is the
fourth such institution to adopt the policy, the report said.
According to the report, hospital managers revealed that they
are consulting the content and format of the payment contract with
lawyers, and will soon officially announce the implementation of
the policy at a press conference to take place around the start of
the New Year.
(China.org.cn?by Zhang Yunxing, December 30, 2005)